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He's Coming - Are You Ready?

James MacDonald

Jesus Christ is coming back soon. I believe that with all of my heart. The opening of Revelation 1 says, "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him . . ." What does "which God gave Him" mean? Didn't Jesus know "the revelation" already? I mean He's God, the Second Person of the Trinity, right? Doesn't He know everything? Well, apparently (and I don't understand how the Trinity works because it's a mystery) He doesn't. Jesus said in Matthew 24:36, "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only."

So, the Father who knows gave this revelation to the Son. The Son gave it to an angel. And an angel gave it to John, who wrote it down for us. And that's how we came to have it today. John wasn't told to go and hide with it; it was supposed to be revealed to all of us: "to show to his servants" (v.1). There are actually three terms or phrases in this verse that speak to the clarity of the book of Revelation; revelation, show, and made it known.

What was it that was being revealed? The Scripture answers, "the things that must soon take place" - not "should take place," not "might take place," or even "will take place," but "must . . . take place" (emphasis added). This statement is certainty rooted in the integrity of God Himself Who sourced this material. And when must these things take place? "Soon"! Underline that word soon in your Bible. Why do we study Revelation? Because Jesus Christ is coming back soon.

I want you to be ready. I want you to experience the sense that time is fleeting and we can't afford to be lax or lazy. Maybe the skies will break open today and Jesus Christ will return. This is not a moment for wasting time. This is the moment to think soon!